AKL looks so beautiful. It's on my list for must do's. I can't wait to see what you do for dinner.
And you MUST do it one day! I never thought I'd ever be able to afford a deluxe resort, let alone club level, but renting DVC point seriously makes it so possible. I don't know if finances play into not having stayed there not but definitely look into renting points if so!
Club level would be freaken AWESOME!! You have no idea how much I would love to do that. From your experience thus far it would be worth it. Its got to make you feel fancy for sure. Yeah, the wife and I are going to rent DVC points the next time we go for our sons first WDW trip. It should be epic!! I just wish the kid would start walking already so we can go... he's two months old and already refusing to listen to his dad. LOL!!
You are just funny! Keep it up!!
Ugh, club level was seriously amazing. I will definitely be back one day! I was going to mention renting DVC points but I se that you are! It makes so many options affordable.
That defiance sure starts young doesn't it...
Just start showing him pictures of the castle and I bet you he'll be the earliest walker in the history of time.
Just so that I can be sure that I'm understanding you properly ... you liked AKL?
In all seriousness ... the pictures look amazing! Between that and the free beer ... I can see why you fell in love.
Animals always bring people together ...
Phew, I'm so glad I made it clear I liked AKL
I thought for a second I needed to elaborate more.
HAHAHA I cracked up at "animals always bring people together"...caaaaan you feel the love tonight
They are only the most delicious breakfast items ever. They are little soft buns with a sort of honey glaze with one nugget on it. I actually had some for breakfast this morning. The amount of times I try to order them after breakfast is stopped being served is sort of embarrassing because I can never remember.
I have got to look into this. We rent DVC points occasionally but I have always wanted to try club level and this is a great option. The only problem would be is that I'm sure they fill up quick.
Me too! I'm going on a trip for 9 days in December and it makes me feel like a failure as a Disney fan because I thought that was a lot.
I sense that a pretty good story is about to come?
Well, of course. It is a rule that while staying club level you must eat/drink the cost difference between that and the regular room cost. If they aren't charging then there is never enough.
Good to know. We are staying at Kidani next month and I was a little worried about not being near Jambo house where the action is but I'm glad to hear it is more calm and the walk isn't bad.
Interesting, I guess there could be a lot of reasons but that just seems odd.
Oh my gosh. I NEED Chick-fil-A breakfast in my life!!!
Renting DVC points was one of my best Disney decisions ever. When I was younger, I genuinely never thought I'd ever be able to stay in a Deluxe let alone club level. But you completely can when you rent DVC points - it's the price of a moderate!
Nine days IS a lot! That's AMAZING!!! You leave so soon - ah, SO jealous!!!
See, that was my logic - eat all the food, drink all the drinks. You gotta make up that cost!
Oh, Kidani is fantastic. Much more serene over there. I was actually shocked at the difference between Jambo and Kidani being from the same resort!
Club level looks so amazing!!!!!!
On my last trip we were lucky enough to go on the Wild Africa Trek tour at AK so we were able to get wicked close to a lot of the animals and it definitely made my wife and I want to stay at AKL soon so we could see animals all the time.
Club level was SO amazing, oh my gosh. Oh how COOL!!! I would LOVE to do the Wild Africa Trek! If you liked that, you would absolutely LOVE AKL.
Dying over here
You are making me want to stay at AKL so bad! I haven't really considered it before because of the time it takes to get everywhere and now with a stroller and the busses and well you get the idea...
Now that being said I totally get this deluxe snob thing you're talking about! I hate to admit it but I think I'm one! Which makes me a little scared we are doing our first value trip in just over 3 weeks!! I'm hoping we love it, if we love value we can do more trips and longer trips for the same money!!! I've never not stayed deluxe so I'm a little worried....
Also club level is my dream!!!
AKL is truly one of a kind. That is the ONE downside to the resort is that it's far from the parks. We just did it for the quick night in the beginning of our trip and purposely planned no parks so we could enjoy the resort so the far distance from the parks wasn't an issue. But when we talk about buying into DVC (it WILL happen one day!) that's the one thing that would stop me from going with AKL - which is SUCH a bummer!
Honestly, the values are just fine. I love Pop and AoA is amazing. I wasn't much a fan of the All-Stars but lots of people love them!
Ahhhh, basking in your excitement of fancy CLUB LEVEL status!
We'll be arriving tomorrow & staying at Pop for 2 nights before heading to AKL.. your post has me so excited.. except no free beer for us!
LOL @ that woman with the same clothes on the next day..
perhaps she slept on a bench outside near the Savannah!? Or met a 'friend' or something!? How bizarre hahaha.
HOW WAS YOUR TRIP?!?! And how was AKL?! I love both Pop and (obviously) AKL so I'm super jealous of your trip!!
That woman sure was interesting...we had no idea what the deal was but we definitely had a laugh or two about it
The wine and snacks looked awesome on the club level. So jealous!
I love that story about the woman. I notice things like that all the time and drive my husband crazy with different theories.
Club level is something every Disney fan should try once! It really is amazing.
HAHA I do the SAME thing with Joe
! Always noticing other people and coming up with crazy stories - so glad I'm not alone
!!
The struggle. It's so hard. All you want to do is plan another trip!
Yup. Been there done that!
That's great. What a wonderful way to spend your time enjoying all the animals!
It is gorgeous. It truly is a one of a kind resort, so special!!
Wow! Your camera seems like it was working great! The pictures you took are awesome. I especially love the giraffes, they are my favorites! When I stayed at Kidani in 2012 (my grandparents have DVC), I took so many pictures of those giraffes it was crazy lol
I can see that! I'm definitely adding a CL stay at any of the deluxe resorts to my Disney Bucket List!
It truly is beautiful over there, and yes I agree it does have a calmer feeling to it!
Those animals are so smart! At least you were close to shelter so you didn't get soaked!
ALL you want to do is plan another trip - so true. It's so hard not having anything planned
!
I was really loving my camera! I was a total amateur and am still learning the settings but even on just the automatic mode it took SUCH better pictures than any other camera I've owned!
I took so many of the giraffes too!! They're so beautiful, it's hard not to!
THIS!!!! My biggest lesson from our last trip (still working through that TR!) is THIS!!!!
OOOOOOOOOH! I'm getting so excited to go back to AKL.... Looking out the window and seeing animals... AT DISNEY.... MIND BLOWN
Enjoying your TR looking forward to reading more!
Right?! Hahaha is that Jenna Marbles? LOVE it
Following along!!! We are staying at Jambo in April and CANNOT WAIT!!! No club level for us, but I'm sure it's going to be magical nonetheless. I am in the Fall Alumni too (holla!!!). Can't wait for another update!!!!
Oh HEY fellow fall alum!!! That page is so much less exciting when you're not planning a trip -
! YAY!!! April will be here before you know it! You don't need club level at all to enjoy the experience at AKL - it just adds a little something different!
Having fun reading your trip report! Last year we stayed in a one bedroom villa savanna view at Kidani and LOVED it! You are right that it is a lot calmer and quieter over at Kidani. We really really liked it and now prefer it to Jambo house, which we loved before Totally spoiled ourselves and I became deluxe snobs too!! We're trying to make it work for next year at Kidani for 10 days - yikes! The $$$$! Where will we get the $$$$?? But we need 10 days so we can do all that we want to do PLUS relax at our beautiful resort. I'm so jealous of SeeYaReelSoon too. I'm so tempted to turn my 10 day vacation into a 14 day but I don't know HOW we are going to make 14 days work if 10 is a stretch!
Plus vacation time, ya know...
Thank you for reading
!!! Isn't the difference so noticeable when comparing Kidani to Jambo? I was really surprised at how much calmer and more serene it felt over at Kidani.
The one downfall to becoming a deluxe snob - the $$$$. See, you're like me. I need the ten days too! I want every trip to top the last and ... I don't think that really works with our budget. But that's why I'm gently pushing Joe toward DVC...
I'm loving your TR and so pleased you had a great view.
I loved my one visit to AKL club level and hope to return
My daughters and I are huge Joey & Ashley fans, we love Wednesdays in this house
Thank you for reading
!!! I followed Joe and Ashley on Instagram while they were down there and I was SO jealous. They seriously looked like they had such an amazing trip!
Big See Ya Reel Soon fan too, I love Wednesdays! No fair that they get to go so often!
AKL looks amazing! And saying CL? What! I'd be completely spoiled after that, and the "free" beer and wine!
You totally have me wanting to stay there now!
Yay, I love Wednesdays too! They do get to go so often and they just went for such a long trip! So jealous.
Oh I am completely spoiled after deluxe and club level
! It's such a bad thing for the finances...
Yes, we got engaged in Disney too! During Wishes ! You can read about how it happened in our Wedding PJ if you're interested!
That's what we did...a mini honeymoon right after our wedding just to get away from everything and be together. We just offically booked our "real" honeymoon - as my husband likes to say, to Thailand for March. It's a great idea if you can. You can ready about our mini honeymoon in our Honeymoon TR. Too bad the timing with your friends wedding is so close behind yours. We wanted to go away to Italy for our 1 year wedding anniversary, but one of our friends decided to get married the weekend that would fall and we can't really move it based on our work schedule to the week before or after....so that sucks. I feel your pain!! Why oh why can't our friends take our plans into consideration when choosing a wedding date! HAHAHA jokin!
Oh that's AMAZING!!! Heading over to read your post now!
Oh wow, Thailand is going to be AMAZING!!! Darn friends messing up our vacation plans...kidding. Kind of...
This is one of the truest things ever
I follow so many disney accounts on Instagram who are posting pictures of
MVMCP and decorations... it's killing me. I think i've priced out like 3 last minute mini-vacations
Wish you guys were able to take that mini-honeymoon!
This made me laugh way harder than it should have. There are all sorts of characters to meet at Disney World.....
Your pictures look great! Cant wait to see more
Oh ME TOO!!! It's making me want to go to Disney for the holidays SO BADLY. I think I might have to try to push for a holiday trip next year...
Well my DS9 and DS7 were reading over my shoulder just now, and they are begging to stay at AKL now when we go in Feb. Well, we are staying in a off-site condo, so obviously that's no happening haha It does look truly amazing. . . . maybe someday!
Oops...hehehe well one day you should definitely splurge and stay at AKL. Rent DVC points! It truly is a one of a kind experience. But those off-site condos are AWESOME! And SO MUCH CHEAPER.